Russia: Missile terror plot to attack Winter Olympics foiled

Chechen Islamist rebel leader Doku Umarov, seen in a screengrab taken from a video on Islamist website kavkazcenter.com, is suspected by Russia's security services of being behind a plot to attack the 2014 Winter Olympics.

By Ian Johnston, msnbc.com

Russia's secret service claimed Thursday to have foiled plans to stage a terrorist attack in the Black Sea resort of Sochi during the 2014 Winter Games, according to reports.

Russia's National Anti-Terrorist Committee said Thursday that Russia's secret service, the FSB, had discovered caches of ammunition with portable surface-to-air missiles, grenade launchers, flame throwers as well as grenades, rifles and explosives, The Associated Press reported.

The ammunition was found in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia, a region that has strong links with Russia.

The FSB said it suspected the attacks were being masterminded by Doku Umarov, a Chechen rebel leader.

"Russia's FSB could establish that militants were planning to move these weapons to Sochi during 2012-2014 to use for terror acts during planning and hosting the Olympic Games," the committee's statement said, as quoted by Russian news agencies and reported by AFP.

"Doku Umarov -- while maintaining close contacts with the Georgian special services -- coordinated all activities to organize the delivery of materials to carry out the acts of terror," the committee added.